Electrostatic chucks (ESCs) are often utilized in the semiconductor manufacturing industry for clamping workpieces or substrates into a fixed position on a support surface during plasma-based or vacuum-based semiconductor processes such as ion implantation, etching, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), etc. Electrostatic clamping capabilities of these ESCs, as well as workpiece temperature control and high temperature operation (i.e., operation in a range of between about 400° C. and about 750° C., such as at a temperature of about 500° C.), have proven to be quite valuable in processing semiconductor substrates, workpieces or wafers, such as silicon wafers.
An electrostatic chuck generally includes an insulator body, such as a ceramic (e.g., alumina, or the like) body, having an embedded electrode for generating chucking force. The electrode is typically embedded by forming the ceramic body from two pieces, coating the electrode onto one piece, and then bonding the two pieces together using an adhesive. Even high temperature adhesives, however, typically fail at temperatures higher than about 250° C.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved chuck design that reduces or eliminates the problems described above.